10 Rapidly Vanishing Environmental Wonders

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Patagonia

Glaciers, forests, islands, species, and entire ecosystems are disappearing in front of our eyes. The worst part about it is that many climate change deniers view the Earth as some all-powerful entity that will self-correct if we do too much damage.

But in reality, if we continue to alter the planet’s atmosphere and ecosystems at such a rapid rate, the human species could ultimately render planet Earth uninhabitable. It will become just another one of the countless barren planets floating through the universe. Fortunately, this has not happened yet.

This gallery of 10 Rapidly Vanishing Environmental Wonders is not meant to be shown at your next pity party.

Instead, use these locations and their stories as a reason to start fighting for the environment so that life can continue to flourish on our beautiful planet.

And if you decide to actually visit these places before they disappear, look into ecotourism options that provide minimal carbon footprints.

Pictured above are the stunning glaciers of Patagonia, Chile. According to Greenpeace, these icey wonders in Patagonia are melting faster than any place on Earth—at a rate of approximately 11 trillion gallons per year.

(Photo: Pete Turner/Getty)

Matterhorn

The Matterhorn has long stood as one of Europe’s tallest and most iconic mountain peaks. But it will soon lose its dreamy, snowcapped façade. The rising temperatures in the region are causing the glaciers to melt, resulting in physical disintegration of the mountain.

This quickly became apparent in 2003 when a large chunk of the mountain broke off. Fifty climbers had to be airlifted in one of the biggest rescue attempts in the history of the Alps. Still, the disintegration of the Matterhorn is said to be merely symbolic of the increasing problems facing the Alps.

(Photo: Katarina Stefanovic/Getty)

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth and is almost nine times saltier than the ocean, which makes for harsh living conditions (hence the name). This body of water has been attracting visitors for thousands of years because of the buoyancy and minerals it gives to its bathers. The Jordan River is the lake’s only source, and if surrounding countries continue to tap its water, the Dead Sea could disappear in the next 50 years.

(Photo: Michael Melford/Getty)

Yangtze River Basin

The Yangtze River Basin is home to giant pandas, dwarf blue sheep, finless porpoises, Siberian cranes, and 400 million people. Throw in a massive dam and you can imagine the havoc it would cause.

Since the completion of the Three Gorges Dam in 2008, over one million people have been displaced, and many of the basin’s unique marine life is struggling to survive. Add that to the deforestation that has been clearing way for displaced villagers and the heightened emissions and pollution from increased river traffic, and you have a natural environment that is rapidly disappearing.

In addition, the dam has been causing highly destructive landslides and even threatens to cause a disastrous earthquake from the added pressure to the two fault lines it rests upon. In short, try to get a glimpse of the Yangtze River Basin before it becomes completely unrecognizable from its stunning past.

(Photo: Karen Su/Getty)

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is so large that it can be seen from outer space. But the majestic reef has been dealt a tough hand by climate change.

Rising ocean temperatures, pollution, acidification, and increased cyclones are causing mass bleaching of the coral, which nature has been painting for the last 8,000 years.

The reef could disappear in our lifetimes, so get a goggled peek while you still can.

(Photo: Jeff Hunter/Getty)

The Maldives

The nation with the world’s lowest elevation, Maldives, is holding its breath—but things aren’t looking good. With ice caps melting and sea levels rising, the island nation might have to just pack up and leave.

In 2008 the President of the Maldives announced a plan to buy land in other countries, such as India, for the almost inevitable exodus of people from the flooding nation.

(Photo: Sakis Papadopoulos/Getty)

The Everglades

Diversion of water, pollution from farms, invasive species, and encroaching development are hitting the Everglades hard.

The wetland is half the size it was 100 years ago and could lose its unique species, such as the Florida panther, in the next 40 years.

(Photo: Raul Tozon/Getty)

The Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest on the planet and is home to 20 percent of all living animal species, but due to massive deforestation, over a third of the entire rainforest could be gone by 2050...

(Photo: Elena Kalistratova/Getty)

Madagascar

Because of its millions of years of isolation in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar has developed flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.

But its forests could disappear in the next 35 years if rampant logging, deforestation, and poaching is allowed to continue.

(Photo: Visuals Unlimited/Getty)

Glacier National Park

In 1850, Montana's Glacier National Park was the proud home to 150 glaciers. Sadly, only 26 remain today. The culprit responsible for all the melting? The usual suspect: climate change.

While temperatures in the valley have risen by two degrees in the last century, the park's peaks have warmed roughly two degrees every year for the last 15 years. Scientists say the park could be without all of its glaciers by 2030.